PML-N, PTI on defensive for dragging army into politics

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N and PTI both are on the defensive for dragging the army into politics after a controversial video message and a poster sparked controversy as the former has now edited the video and the latter disowned the poster.
The Pakistan Army unwittingly assumed a pivotal role in the ongoing election campaign of NA-122 as PTI and PML-N both appeared in the beginning competing with each other to establish their credentials as pro-establishment parties through publicity campaigns.
Ayaz Sadiq and Aleem Khan are contesting from NA-122 from PTI and PML-N respectively, a seat vacated after the election tribunal directed for fresh elections following the rigging charges.
An ‘unedited’ video message of Ayaz Sadiq initially uploaded sought voters’ support in the name of the army.
In his message, Ayaz began by counting the development projects carried out by the PML-N government, then enlisted the achievements acquired through Zarb-e-Azb and Karachi operations and ended it urging his constituents to vote for him if they supported the army.
To be precise, his message concluded on this line: “Afwaaj-e-Pakistan ka saath dain, PML-N ka saath dain (Support the armed forces of Pakistan, support PML-N.”
The video went viral on social media but it didn’t gain unwanted attention until the controversial posters of PTI popped up.
Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif received the centerstage in the PTI poster that displayed his picture prominently and showed Aleem Khan and Imran Khan rubbing shoulders with him.
As this poster fueled a debate with anchors and analysts started raising questions about contaminating the army with politics through such publicity, the PML-N pre-empted this move by editing the video. The alteration in the message excludes that part wherein Ayaz Sadiq had said that voting the PML-N means supporting the army.
Although, the PTI doesn’t seem apologetic in public as the posters are still displayed, its candidate, Aleem Khan, describes this an isolated attempt by party workers aspiring for tickets in the local bodies election and that it was not done on his direction.
The PML-N says the video under question was prematurely released by somebody from within, not knowing that Ayaz Sadiq had directed cutting the portion about the army since he didn’t want to politicise it.
The News spoke to both the candidates for their versions and neither of them took responsibility for orchestrating this campaign and instead shifted the blame to the ‘workers’.
Aleem Khan said these posters were designed and displayed by workers at the union council level to celebrate the Defence Day on September 6 and they did so without his consent.
Even the PML-N workers had also displayed such posters, Aleem argued, “but I wouldn’t say that it was done on the direction of the party leadership.” He then shared with The News a PML-N sponsored poster prominently displaying the picture of Gen Raheel Sharif atop along with martyrs decorated with Nishan-e-Haider. Mian Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz have also been pictured at the bottom of this poster.
However, contrary to the PTI’s poster, the PML-N’s was purely in the context of Defence Day, not for NA-122 elections.
Ayaz Sadiq, when contacted, tried to downplay its contents. “Some youngsters working for the PML-N’s social media approached me for recording my message and I did that,” Ayaz said.
Asked why he considered it important to urge his constituents that supporting the army means voting the PML-N, Ayaz feigned ignorance about this particular line.
Meanwhile, another PML-N lawmaker approached this correspondent to clarify the position.
“Somebody from our team aired this message soon after it was recorded, not realising that it was subject to editing,” said Ayaz Sadiq’s fellow lawmaker. “We have done this recording well before the PTI poster appeared in public,” she said.
Ayaz Sadiq was unwilling to involve the army in the election campaign hence that part was edited and the altered version doesn’t seek the public support in the name of the army, according to the woman lawmaker. Dragging the army into politics was a wrong idea and that was the reason we altered it, she said.